Douche apparatus



May 19, 1942.

. 2 Sheets-Sheet l M 1 Mai 40 I 95 i5 i5 flana Zd M [ha mu arty/mm;

Patented May 19, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nouonr: APPARATUS,

Donald M. Ohapin, Artesia, N. Mex.

Claims.

This invention relates to a novel, compact douche apparatus for treatment of theintemal organs of the human body, and more particularly to a device wherein the liquid employed in the douche will be discharged under pressure by pressure resulting from water discharged under pressure from a water main.

More particularly, it isan aim of the invention to provide a device whereinthe water discharged from the water main and which is employed for pumping the liquid forming the douche will be separate from the liquid of the douche so that said liquid may be heated or otherwise treated preparatory to being used; Still another aim of the invention is to provide a diaphragm against which water, from a water main, is discharged under pressure for distending the diaphragm for forcing water out of another chamber, said diaphragm being apertured to permit the passage of water therethrough to refill the chamber from which the water has been pumped and to permit the diaphragm to contract to its normal position.

Still another aim of the invention is to provide a thermostaticallycontrolled electric heater for heating the contents of the chamber or compartment from which the water or liquid is expelled.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a tank for containing an antiseptic, and a pump operated by the movement of the diaphragm for pumping the antiseptic from said tank and into the liquid being expelled by the diaphragm and to be used as the douche. 7

Other objects and advantages'of the invention will hereinafter bceome more fully apparent from the d6.-

Figure '7 is a similar View of the valve of the pipe which leads to the pump cylinder.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

wherein like reference characters designate like or'corresponding parts throughout the diiferent views, l0 designates generally the douche apparatus comprising the invention and which includes a casing II which is adapted to be mounted either in the tank of a water closet, beneath a water closet or in a recess in a wall adjacent thereto. The casing l I, as illustrated, is shown as being substantially cylindrical in cross section, but may be of any desired shape. The casing I l is provided intermediate of its top and bottom with a partition l2 and is also provided with a partition I 3 which extends downwardly from the partition l2 to the bottom of the casing II. The partition l2 forms a reservoir M in the upper portion of the casing H and combines with the partition I 3 to form a compartment l5 and a tank I 6 in the lower part of the casing ll.

An inwardly opening annular channel member I1 is mounted in the reservoir l4 adjacent its upper end and forms a support for a diaphragm l8, the marginal edge of which is'clamped in the channel member ll, and'supported thereby to form a partition which divides thereservoir I4 into a lower chamber l9 and an upper chamber 20. The diaphragm I8 is preferably formed of rubber or other suitable material capable of being stretched. An electric heating element 2| and a thermostat 22 are each mounted in the chamber l9 and connected by electric wiring 23 leading to a source of electric current, not shown. The diaphragm I8 is provided with reinforced portions 24 one of which is arranged to be disposed adjacent the heater 2|, another of which is ar- Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong the plane of the line 33 of Figure 2,

ranged to be disposed adjacent the thermostat 22 and still another of which is arranged to be disposed adjacent an outlet 25 .in the bottom of the chamber l9, when the diaphragm I8 is in a distended position, as seen in Figure 4, to hold the diaphragm out of engagement with the heating element 2 I, thermostat 22 and the outlet opening 25. -The diaphragm i8 is also provided witha' small aperture 26, for a purpose which will hereinafter be described.

opposite, lower end ofathe outlet pipe 21 and is attached at its opposite end to a douche nozzle 29, to which it is detachably connected so that douche nozzles of various sizes and shapes may be attached to the hose 28. As best seen in Figures 4 and 5, the hose 23 is normally coiled for storage within the compartment I5 which compartment is provided with a hinged door 33 to provide access to the compartment I5 tor removing the nozzle and hose therefrom or for storing it therein. A pipe 3| which leads from a water main or other suitable source of water supply under pressure, not shown, extends transverselyportions of the pipe 3|. The passages 34 and 35' are arranged to communicate with the pipes 21 and 3| at the same time so that the passages through said pipes will be simultaneously opened or closed. A handle 36 projects from the coupling 32 and is connected to the valve body 33 and is adapted to be turned an eighth of a revolution in either direction for closing the valve 33 and the same distance in the opposite direction for opentermined temperature, as governed by the thermostat 22. A switch 48 inay be provided in the electric wiring 23 to break the circuit to the heater and thermostat when the apparatus I0 is not in use. However, the switch 43 is shown in I a closed position'so that the contents of the chamber I3 will be heated as previously described. By swinging the handle 36 downwardly, the valve 33 is moved to an open position for opening the passages through the pipes 21 and 3| so that the heated water in chamber I3 can flow through outlet pipe 21 and hose 28 and be discharged through the nozzle 23. At the same time, the water under pressure from the water main will be passing through pipe 3| and be discharged into chamber 20 where the pressure of the water therein will gradually distend the diaphragm I3 downwardly from its position, as seen in Figure 3, until it assumes the position, as seen in Figure 4. It will thus be apparent that the diaphragm I8 will force the heated water out of thechamber I3 through the outlet pipe 21. At

the same time, a downward movement of the ing the valve. Assuming that the handle 33 is neck 31 which is disposed on the outer side of the casing II and which opens into the tank I3 and which is provided with a closure cap 33. The partition I3 is provided with a cylinder 33 which is formed integral therewith. The lower end of the cylinder 33 is closed by the bottom of the casing II and the upper end thereof extends through the partition I2 and opens into the chamber I3. A piston 40 is slidably mounted in the cylinder 33 and is provided with a piston rod 4| which extends upwardly therefrom, through the cylinder 33 and into the chamber I3 and which is connected at its opposite end to the diaphragm I8 at 42. The piston rod 4| is slidably mounted in a bushing 43 which is attached to the upper end of the cylinder 33 and which prevents the liquid, contained in the chamber I3, from seeping into the upper portion of the cylinder 33.

A pipe 44 is, disposed in the lower portion of the tank I3 and has one end opening into the lower portion of the cylinder 33. A one way valve 45, which opens inwardly of the pipe 44 and the cylinder 33, is mounted on the opposite end of the pipe 44 and in the tank IS. A pipe 43 has one end communicating with the cylinder 33, adjacent its lower end, and the opposite end thereof communicating with the outlet pipe 21, adjacent its upper end. A one way valve 41 is mounted in the pipe 46 and opens toward the outlet pipe 21. Valves 41 and 45, respectively, are best illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

Assuming that the hose 28 and douche nozzle 23 have been removed from the compartment I5 and are ready for use, and assuming that the diaphragm I8 is in its normal, contracted position, as seen in Figure 3, and that the chamber I3 is filled with water, the water in the chamber I3 will be heated by the heater H to a predediaphragm I3 will force the piston 43 downwardly 33 below' the piston 30 is filled with the antiseptic from the tank I6, as will hereinafter becomeapparent, and as the piston 43 moves downwardly this antiseptic will be forced through pipe 43 to open the valve 41, past the valve 41 and into the outlet pipe 21 to be mixed with the heated water being forced under pressure from the chamber I3.- As the valve opens toward the cylinder 33. this valve will be held in a closed position by the pressure in the lower portion of the cylinder 33 caused by the downward movement oi. the piston 40. When the supply of the heated water, mixed with the antiseptic, discharged through the nozzle 23 ceases, the valve 33 is The water in the chamber 23, which has been substantially enlarged by the diaphragm I8 being distended to its position, as seen in Figure 4, will slowly flow through the aperture 23 to refill the chamber I3 and to permit the diaphragm I8 to return, by its own resiliency, to its normal position, as seen in Figure 3, by which time the chamber I3 will have been refilled and the water contained therein reheated by heater 2I so that the apparatus I3 is ready to be used again. As the diaphragm I8 contracts and moves upwardly the piston 43 will be drawn upwardly in the cylinder 33 thereby creating a suction beneath the piston which will open the valve 45 and draw the antiseptic from the tank I 5 to fillthe portion of the cylinder 33 below the .plston 43 to thereby supply another charge of antiseptic to be used with the water that has refilled the chamber I3. It will be apparent that the suction created in the cylinder 33 will hold the valve 41 in a closed position. When this operation'hasbeen repeated as many times as is required, the switch 43 can be opened and the hose 23 and nozzle 23 stored in the compartment I 5.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, as

and dividing it into compartments, ;an outlet formed in one oi said compartments, a pipe connected to a source of liquid supply under pressure and opening into the other compartment, a

shut-oil? valve for said outlet, a control valve for said pipe, said diaphragm being distended by the liquid entering said last mentioned compartment when said control valve is opened for forcing the liquid from said first mentioned compartment, and into which the diaphragm is distended, when said shut-oil? valve is in an open position, and an aperture formed-in said diaphragm for the slow passage of the liquid from said last mentioned to the first mentioned compartment, said aperture providing means for refilling the first mentioned compartment when said valves are closed.

2. A liquid dispensing device comprising a container, a diaphragm disposed in said container and dividing it into compartments, an outlet formed in one of said compartments, a pipe connected to a source of liquidsupply under pressure and opening into the other compartment, a shut-off valve for said outlet, a control valve for said pipe, said diaphragm being distended by the liquid entering said last mentioned compartment when said control valve is opened for forcing the liquid from said first mentioned compartment, and into which the diaphragm is distended, when said shut-off valve is in an open position, a tank containing an antiseptic, a cylinder formed in said tank, a passage between said tank and cyfinder, a one way valve mounted in said passage and arranged to open toward the cylinder, a passage leading from said cylinder and communicating with said outlet, a one way valve formed in said lastmentioned passage and opening toward said outlet, a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder, and a piston rod connected to said piston and to the diaphragm for pumping the antiseptic from the cylinder into the outlet when the diaphragm is distended and for drawing the antiseptic from the tank into the cylinder when the diaphragm is retracted,

3. Aliquid dispensing device comprising a container, a diaphragm disposedin said container and dividing it into compartments, an outlet formed in one of said compartments, a pipe connected to a source of liquid supply under pressure and opening into the other compartment, a

shut-ofl valve for said outlet, a control valve for said pipe, said diaphragm being distended by the liquid entering said last mentioned compartment when said control valve is opened for forcing the liquid from said first mentioned compartment, and into which the diaphragm is distended, when said shut-oil valve is in an open position, a tank containing an antiseptic,.-a cylinder formed in and arranged to open toward the cylinder, a passage leading from said cylinder and communicating with said outlet, a one way valve formed in said last mentioned passage .and opening toward said outlet, a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder, a piston rod connected to said piston and to the diaphragm for pumping the antiseptic frgm the cylinder into the outlet when the diaphragm is distended and for drawing the antiseptic from the tank into the cylinder when the diaphragm is retracted, and said diaphragm being provided with an aperture to permit the passage of the liquid from the last mentioned to the first mentioned compartment for refilling the first mentioned compartment, when the shut-off valve and control valve are closed.

4. A douche apparatus comprising a casing, a partition dividing said easing into upper and lower compartments, said upper compartment forming a reservoir and being provided with a diaphragm dividing it into upper and lower chambers, an outlet pipe leading from the-lower chamber, a pipe connected. to and leading from awater main and opening into the upper chamber of said reservoir for distending said diaphragm into the lower chamber for forcing a liquid from said lower chamber through said outlet pipe, and said diaphragm having an opening for the passage of water therethrough for refilling the lower chamber and to allow the diaphragm to return to its normal position.

, 5. A device as in claim 4, said lower compartment forming a tank for containing an antiseptic in liquid form, a cylinder formed in a wall of said tank and opening into the lower chamber of the reservoir a passage connecting the lower outlet pipe, 9. piston slidably mounted in the cylinder, and a piston rod connected to said piston and to the diaphragm for pumping the antiseptic from the tank into the outlet pipe.

DONALD M. CHAPIN. 

